Aside from the elephant in the room of there being an entire dungeon inside the Temple of Time's past in Twilight Princess, The major thing to point out is that none of the geometry of the temple itself is even remotely the same from the one in Ocarina of Time. Unlike how the Temple of Time in Breath of the Wild takes nearly the exact same geometry as the one in Ocarina of Time, while also sharing the castle town of both games in different locations in Breath of the Wild, there's only one Temple of Time, the evidence could go either way. But what are you guys leaning towards?
To answer the question: Pre-BotW/TotK, the SS Sealed Temple, the OoT ToT and the TP ToT were all CANONICALLY the same. Post-BotW/TotK, I think it is safe to assume that the OoT ToT and the TP ToT are still canonically the same (in the eyes of the developers).
What 1 there's 3?...
1st Temple of time, "Rarus" now skyward
2nd Temple of time, Castle town, "OOT"
3rd Temple of time, Great Plateau, Twiilight Princess Temple of Time.
It is actually difficult to count how many temples there are throughout the series:
- The Lanayru Temple of Time
- The Sealed Temple / Temple of Hylia
- The Ocarina of Time Temple of Time / Temple of Light
- The Twilight Princess Temple of Time / TP Sacred Grove
- The Breath of the Wild Temple of Time
- The Tears of the Kingdom Temple of Time
- The Forgotten Temple
- The ALttP/ALBW Sacred Grove
- The Korok Forest Pedestal
- Hyrule Cathedral
Some preliminary conclusions:
- The Lanayru Temple of Time has the same tall symbolics that the Arbiter's Grounds has.
- The Sealed Temple was built by Hylia.
- The OoT Temple of Time was built by Rauru and the sages.
- The TP Temple of Time was created by the "ancestors to the Hylians" who hid their ancient power in the temple: this is referring to the Oocca.
- The BotW Temple of Time was the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule.
- The TotK Temple of Time was built before the BotW Temple of Time by the Zonai.
- The Forgotten Temple has the oldest Goddess Statue in Hyrule and holds the Zonai secret stones.
- The ALttP/ALBW Master Sword was hidden in the forest by the ancient people of Hylia.
- There is no explanation about why the Master Sword is in the Korok Forest
- And there is no explanation about why the Hyrule Cathedral is in the same spot in Castle Town that the Temple of Time was in OoT.
- The Lanayru ToT is obviously its own thing: potentially the Arbiter's Grounds.
- The Sealed Temple and the Forgotten Temple are the same. The "oldest Goddess Statue" is the same as the canonical oldest Goddess Statue.
- The "birthplace of Hyrule" is the birthplace of King Rauru's Hyrule, not Sage Rauru's Hyrule. The "birthplace of Hyrule" cannot both be the Sealed Temple and the Great Plateau. We have to pick one, and I'm picking Skyward Sword's.
- The Sacred Grove in ALttP/ALBW is the same as in OoS, the same as in TP, and the Korok Forest pedestal in BotW.
- The TP temple was built by Sage Rauru, the other sages,
and the Oocca, just a Mount Drena away from the Temple of Hylia. It served three purposes: to seal the Sacred Realm/Triforce, the Dominion Rod, and the Master Sword.
This is what makes most sense to me:
4 Temples of Time, 2 unrelated temples --
1 The Lanayru Temple of Time
3/4/8/9 The OoT Temple of Time / decayed into this Wind Waker ruin near Hyrule Castle:
-- decayed into the TP Temple of Time
\ decayed into the ALttP/OoS/ALBW Master Sword pedestal > which decayed into the Korok Forest pedestal.
5: The BotW Temple of Time was built by the Hylians to continue the rituals from the TotK Temple of Time.
6: The TotK Temple of Time was named because it told the time; I don't think the Zonai knew about the other temple or they would have known about the Master Sword.
2/7 The Sealed Temple is the Forgotten Temple. It was not built over by Sage Rauru.
10 The Hyrule Cathedral is unrelated.
This assumes a refounding of Hyrule for TotK. If Hyrule Castle has been the
same Hyrule Castle, keeping Ganondorf sealed since the start of the series, since before the Era of Chaos, I do not think that the OoT and TP ToT can be the same. In that universe, the Lost Woods can move (as is shown in FSA), but Hyrule Castle cannot (as is shown in TotK).
The thought process started when I first played OoT. With Ganondorf actively looking for the very room that Link leads him to, and that same room having a window, it never made sense. If that room was physically there, all any of Ganondorf's forces would need to do would be to go around back. An additional room, with no access, but has a window, would draw major attention. So, I always figured that room was in a different location, and the doorway is also a portal. Plus, it also explains how Link can be placed in that room at the end of the game, before he opened the door, and get out without alerting Ganondorf to the room's location. The door in the temple we see in OoT is still closed, so the portal is never opened. Instead, Link emerges form an entirely different structure (the northern one), and Ganondorf is none the wiser. (And, yes, I was thinking with portals that far back.)
Ganondorf couldn't have pulled the Master Sword, and, if ALttP/ALBW's Pendants are to be believed, the Spiritual Stones are required for the Master Sword to be pulled.
And, yes the current Temple of Time on the plateau does have a different footprint and architectural styling from the temple we see in TP, though the building material is the same as the Eastern Abbey, on the plateau. In the state it was in, the structure would have to have been rebuilt. That, to me, is the difference between the temple (and abbey) on the plateau and the one in the North. One was rebuilt, while the other was left to decay because it was under the care of the Deku Tree we see now, who didn't need brick and mortar to protect the blade.
I'm confused about this: You're saying the OoT and TP Temples are different, but then where is the OoT Temple in TP? If we assume the OoT and TP Hyrule Castles are the same (because Hyrule Castle isn't allowed to move if TotK past is before SS), then there should be another Temple of Time in that town.
Relevant quotes if anyone cares:
1 The Lanayru Temple of Time:
"This is the Temple of Time. Within it is the sacred Gate of Time made by the goddess, bzzt. It's my job to patrol outside the temple, vrrm! If you want to reach the Gate of Time, you will need to pass through that door, bzzap. Huh? You need another way in, phoo-weep? Well, Lanayru Mining Facility and the Temple of Time are connected undergroun, dzzt. Lanayru Mining Facility is right here!" Ancient Robot
2 The Sealed Temple / Temple of Hylia:
"You stand under the roof of the Sealed Temple, a place built by the goddess an eternity ago. Your arrival here was predestined many, many years ago" Impa
"This is the Temple of Hylia, though it will come to be known as the Sealed Temple sometime in the future. You stand in the past, ages before your own time. Here the goddess, Hylia, has only just sealed away Demise...And little time has passed since the goddess sent the outcropping of rock into the sky that would one day become Skyloft. It is true to its name. You have passed through the Gate of Time to an era in the distant past." Impa
3 The OoT Temple of Time:
"So the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones. That's right...The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world. But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door [in Japanese: Gate] of Time. And, in order to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones. Another thing you need...is the treasure the Royal Family keeps along with this legend...The Ocarina of Time!" Princess Zelda
"There are three hollows and an inscription here...Ye who owns three Spiritual Stones...Stand with the Ocarina of Time...And play the Song of Time" Temple of Time engraving.
"Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm...This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light" Sage of Light Rauru.
4 The TP Temple of Time:
"Do you know about the far side of the deep gorge? Some say there is an ancient temple deep in the woods that guards a sacred power. The ancestors of the Hylians created the temple...Signs of their civilization--ancient, but very sophisticated--are everywhere. If someone could obtain the power of those ancient people...Well, I am sure it would go a long way toward saving Hyrule." Rusl
"At last...This is it! This is where I've been trying to get to! The ancient technology of our people sleeps in this place." Ooccoo
5 The BotW Temple of Time:
"This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule...That temple there...Long ago, that was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Ever since the decline of the kingdom 100 years ago, it has sat abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self..." King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule
6 The TotK Temple of Time:
"The Temple of Time is visible from here. It was used in the distant past. Many rites and ceremonies of the kingdom were held there. But no more. Now it is a lonely place. No one visits.” Steward Construct
"The time bell that sounds from the Temple of Time rings at a set time each morning and evening. Along with the constructs, we woke to the sound of the bell. When we heard it in the evening, we knew it was time to rest. It also played its part in our traditional ceremonies. In a way, it was this place's beating heart. The sight of the temple and the sound of its bell stir fond memories in me." King Rauru
"The Temple of Time and the land it sits upon were once found on the surface of the world. This has changed. Its land and the lands surrounding it now float in the sky. There is a reason for this. The hero who will defeat the Demon King will one day awaken at this very site. The site must be kept safe from the Demon King and his followers. It was therefore raised high into the skies. The tremendous power of the sages accomplished this feat long ago." Steward Construct
7 The Forgotten Temple
"Head to the Forgotten Temple where the oldest statue of the Goddess stands to see what they have left for you there." Sheikah Slate
"You have at last conquered all of our trials. Having fulfilled our purpose, we monks bestow upon you this...The warrant of the true hero. You must now depart for the Forgotten Temple" 120th monk (Rona Kachta)
"You know, according to the literature, there is something to do with geoglyphs in the Forgotten Temple...I can hardly believe what my eyes behold. Who could have guessed this old ruin still held such secrets?" Impa
8 ALttP/ALBW Sacred Grove
"Long ago, a prosperous people known as the Hylia inhabited this land...Legends tell of many treasures that the Hylia hid throughout the land...The Master Sword, a mighty blade forged against those with evil hearts, is one of them. People say that now it is sleeping deep in the forest..." Sahasrahla's Wife
"The Hero's triumph on Cataclysm's Eve wins three symbols of virtue. The Master Sword he will then retrieve, keeping the knight's line true." Master Sword Pedestal
9 Korok Forest Pedestal
No lore text
10 Hyrule Cathedral
No lore text